The Year of Moving Forward

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Troy King... Sinking To New Lows

My recommendation to go to the Bright Star on Wednesday night was based on information from the Birmingham News.Oops. The event is tonight. We found out last night when we showed up and a sign on the door indicated the Birmingham News published the wrong date.

That did not stop us (and several other customers) from enjoying a great meal (broiled snapper, Greek Style) and dessert (chocolate almond pie), and getting our book (A Centennial Celebration of The Bright Star) signed by the owners. Jimmy and Nicky Koikos reflected with Bobby and me about growing up on Dartmouth Avenue just a few blocks from our house. Bright Star Menu

There are four things going on that you might want to do tonight. If you are gay or gay friendly, the Alabama Stonewall Democrats are meeting at 5:30 at Los Amigos, 3324 Clairmont Avenue (next door to the Piggly Wiggly) and Joe Turnham, Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party will be our guest speaker. This is a great opportunity to meet other active democrats and help the party grow and increase the potential for victory, as well as learn from the top what the state party is doing and what one leader sees as the future of the democratic party in Alabama.

If you are not interested in that then eat at the Bright Star.

Be sure to eat early, if you are a customer of Bessemer Water Service, so you can attend the special meeting at Broken Vessel Church about the water bond and potential rate increase (108 to 300 %). A press release was sent to all the TV stations and newspapers and we hope to have a big crowd. Read the press release at Bessemer Neighbors

If you don't use Bessemer's water, than go listen to Angela Davis at the Alys Stephens Center. You may not agree with some or most of what she stands for (or what you think she stands for) but you may be surprised, and she will certainly be interesting. Notice of Event

With all of those offerings, no one should be at home tonight.

Troy King really should never have been re-elected last year. You know I strongly supported John Tyson for attorney general. So did Robby Owens, the republican District Attorney in Shelby County.

Owens prosecuted Marcus Presley and LaSamuel Gamble for the 1996 murders of John Burleson and Janice Littleton, and both got the death penalty even though the killer (Presley) was only 16 years old at the time, and Gamble (who was 18) didn't actually kill anyone.

Recently the U. S.Supreme Court ruled (Roper v. Simmons) that killers could not be executed for crimes they commit while they are juveniles, so Presley was moved off of death row. Soon after Owens gave the following testimony, "Both of those defendants deserve to be on death row. But out of plain fairness and simple equity in life, it's not fair to leave the person on death row who didn't kill anyone and take the person off death row who did." Story

King, who like so many republicans, loves to see the state in the business of killing people, was outraged, and has now taken his former opponent's supporter off the case. And he will argue to have Gamble's death penalty reinstated.

Troy King is also went on a witch hunt in his zeal to find "something on Judge (Dan King, Bessemer Cutoff Circuit Judge) King - old campaign records, finance records, anything to get him off the bench," according to sworn testimony from Anthony Castaldo, who says he was reapeatedly told to keep trying. Editorial

I strongly agree with this editorial in the Birmingham News..."Certainly, Troy King has not always inspired confidence as attorney general. In fact, he has sometimes inspired just the opposite." Well said.

Too bad we have at least 3 more years of Troy King. Sorry Alabama, but we elected him. Let's do better in the future.